Britain's Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort (1774-1857) might change the definitions for his famous wind scale if he lived near Rocky Flats.

Beaufort lists a "severe gale" as winds between 47 and 54 mph and a "violent storm" between 64 and 72 mph. From 73 to 83, it's a "hurricane" and the scale doesn't go any higher.

So, what would he have called the 101 mph blast that the National Weather Service recorded rocketing over Rocky Flats about 5 a.m. today?

In fact, the 81 mph in southwest Boulder qualified by Beaufort as a hurricane-force wind.

And the 69 mph on Berthoud Pass and 63 mph on the west side of Fort Collins both would have been in the "violent storm" category that Beaufort says is "very rarely experienced on land."

In winter around here we say it falls into the "normal" range.

Nonetheless, the Colorado Department of Transportation has closed Colorado 93 between Golden and Colorado 72 due to "adverse conditions" and high profile rigs, including campers and mobile homes, are warned to take caution.

The weather service blames a fast-moving weather system for spreading strong winds onto the plains, where gusts will be strongest this afternoon about the same time the winds in the foothills diminish.

Widespread blowing and drifting snow is expected in open areas, and will lead to limited visibility and deteriorating road conditions.

Wind gusts in the 50 to 65 mph range are expected throughout the plains and snows will be heavy at times in the mountains with a total snowfall of 8 to 18 inches, the heaviest snow falling this morning.

It is all like a trumpet call to better things to come, with the winds moving out tonight and temperatures soaring into the 50s for the weekend.